Wander West, In Shadow [Slow Burn Dark Fantasy]

Cover art done by Tofuyi! BOOK 1 COMPLETED!  The long path starts here. A journey through lands haunted by demons, fae, and the ghosts of the past.  For decades, the lands of Aurum lived in fear beneath the threat of the wicked White Queen. A cruel sorceress, she worked the Art of magic to bring down freezing blizzards and ruin upon those who opposed her. Her mad ambition swallowed an entire generation in flame and horror, and it seemed that all would be swept up in the bloody tyranny of her rule. For a time.  That's all in the past, now. Years back, the White Queen was slain, her ambitions broken, her erstwhile kingdom shattered. The bones of her kinsmen scattered into the earth, so much dust, all for naught. So it goes. Though the Queen's War is nothing but a memory now, the lands are tired, broken, bled dry. Charred ruins lie where bustling towns once stood, and quiet shadows settle where folk made their homes, their lives, not so long ago. Where humanity has retreated, dark powers such as fae and demons have crept forth. Even the gods seem exhausted. Some wonder if things will ever be right again.  It is into these scarred and shattered lands that the young wizard Martimeos, now of age, takes his first steps. Such is the nature of the Art; those it embraces are driven forth to wander, to see the lands, no matter the darkness that lies across their path. But unlike most, he has a goal: His older brother left to fight against the White Queen, but never returned, leaving behind only tales of what he had done. Martimeos does not hold onto the hope that his brother may live, or even that he'll find his bones, but to learn of what happened to him, to his friends? That is worth knowing. And so he follows a fading trail, chasing echoes of the past and haunted by his memories of the war's horror. It will be a long journey, and along the way Martimeos will uncover secrets, tales of his brother's heroism and deeds. He will begin to wonder what sort of man his brother was, and whether or not the war had changed him. In time, these questions will carry him west, far west; deep into the mysteries of the Art and the world itself. Fortune has its plans for Martimeos, and those who would travel with him - whether he would like it or not.  But it all starts here, in a dark forest, and a chance meeting with the mysterious swamp-witch, Elyse, whose easy smiles and charm hide secrets darker than Martimeos suspects. Here, with a quiet shade from his past that haunts him, and strange, cruel thorns that choke the land and his very dreams. Here, with the cursed village of Silverfish, and its tale of woe, and the regrets and sorrows of its folk, with demons and defeated men and a tragedy that has gone on for far, far too long. The world as it once was might never return, but there is always the choice: to do what one can to make it better, or settle into the shadow yourself.   The Art will snare you and Fortune cast you to the wind to tell the tale it wants. Come along and see how it begins. Wander west with us, if you would.  WANDER WEST, IN SHADOW is a slow-paced, classic adventure tale that takes place in a dark fantasy world of faded kingdoms and lost history, with no litrpg elements. Magic in this setting is less powerful than in many other fictions, especially when Elyse and Martimeos are first starting out their journey: discretion is the better part of valor, and it is often better to run than it is to stand and fight. If you are interested in a long story full of danger and mystery and some darker themes, where the protagonists gradually become stronger, this may be the series for you!